Tips for Integrating Meditation into Your Busy Lifestyle
Many people tell me they want and need to start a meditation practice.
Often a couple of excuses follow: they don’t know how to meditate or feel they just don't have enough time to dedicate to a practice.
They are hearing their intuition’s guidance to slow down and reconnect, but are resistant to their own spirit’s guidance.
At these times, I offer a few bits of advice.
Benefits of Regular Meditation
Creating a regular meditation practice takes courage and discipline. It brings thoughts,
judgments, hurts, and hopes to our consciousness.
For example, when we are out of balance, we feel overworked, overprotective, nervous, anxious about the future, and put others’ needs before our own. We may try to control other people and react to growth opportunities with resistance. We are not facing the needs of our own spirit first.
When we are practicing meditation regularly, our thoughts are clearer, our energy is calmer, our focus on tasks is sharper, and our irritability is lessened. Creativity flows and decisions are easier as we are in control of the energy in our space.
Meditation brings us back to equilibrium.
Create Your Foundation
Redefine your use of time, empower yourself with your meditation foundations.
Going Solo: Research different types of meditation and find a practice that makes sense to you. Or, just sit for 5 minutes a day and practice connecting with your breathing to clear your head and space. If you can get up to 20 minutes, great! The point is to get into the practice of dedicating time for self care. When on the go, take advantage of quiet spaces. Find a bathroom stall, your car, an empty park bench, or a quite spot inside a coffee shop. I have meditated in all of these places!
Invite Your Pets: Get the dogs in on the practice! Invite your pup into your meditation space at home. Begin your practice and watch how the dog responds. If they are still active, ask them to match your energy. Often, dogs will calm themselves and get into their own meditation zone.
Create Family Meditation Time: Kids of all ages respond to energy. If you are grounded and calm and practicing mindfulness, your kids will feel it. Do you notice them resisting your desire for balance? Create a time out for everyone and invite them to meditate with you. Teach them the tools. Explain to them the benefits. Come up with examples of how they can use meditation in their life. All you need is five minutes to shift everything. By becoming more engaged in your practice, the more influence you have on helping them know how to shift their energy.
Meditation is a Healing Practice
Meditation acts as a compass guiding our path, helping us to know ourselves. When we meditate, our energy is firmly rooted in the present creating the space for us to connect with our intuition. We notice greater ease in identifying our values and priorities and establishing mindfulness around our actions and communication. We begin to develop healthy boundaries, maintain emotional balance, and experience personal fulfillment in recognizing how we can best serve ourselves and our community.
Published in Sedona Journal's October 2018 issue. Available at many natural food stores and online.
